DATE LINES / News, notes and updates from the Bay Area arts and culture scene compiled by Chronicle staff writers and critics

Ruthe Stein, David Wiegand, Tamara Straus, Joel Selvin

Published
4:00 am PDT, Monday, October 23, 2006

A monster reunion

Some devotees of monster movies consider "The Monster Squad" to be underrated. Those in the Bay Area have a chance to see for themselves when the film screens at midnight Friday and Saturday at the Clay Theatre, 2261 Fillmore St., San Francisco.

A reunion of the movie's cast will enliven Saturday's screening. Appearing in person to make introductions will be Andre Gower, who plays the leader of the squad. Sticking around to answer questions will be Ashley Bank, who plays the squad leader's little sister, and Ryan Lambert, who appears as their cool friend. -- Ruthe Stein

The gala will be held from 2-5 p.m. at the club, 50 Moraga Ave., San Francisco. Call (415) 861-8972 or go to www.nctcsf.org. -- David Wiegand

'Monkey King' in S.F.

In case you didn't know that the Monkey King was one of the first superheroes -- he stole all the peaches off the spiritual peach tree of the Heavenly King Mother and drank all the wine reserved for fairies and immortals -- now is your chance. Starting Tuesday at the SomArts Cultural Center in San Francisco, Larry Reed's ShadowLight Productions and Taiwan's Puppet and its Double Theater will create a live animation of "Monkey King at Spider Cave," based on the Chinese epic "Journey to the West."

The show will feature an international troupe of masked actors, puppeteers and musicians. "Monkey King at Spider Cave" runs through Sunday. Tickets cost $15-$20. Call (408) 568-5861 or go to www.dimensionarts.org/tickets.html.

-- Tamara Straus

S.F. rocker in fracas

Guitarist Adam Stephens of San Francisco indie-rock duo Two Gallants was involved in a fracas Oct. 13 with a police officer summoned to a Houston nightclub on a noise complaint.

Accounts vary as to what actually happened, but a Houston police officer discharged his Taser gun at least three times during the scuffle that involved Stephens and several nightclub patrons.

The police officer had cuts and bruises on his arm. Two students were reportedly Tasered. A valuable bass guitar was broken. Four people were arrested.

Stephens, who was not arrested and left the scene, told the Houston Chronicle that he was Tasered twice in the stomach and the police officer was "out of control."

"An officer gets attacked by dozens of people in a club who had been drinking," said a Houston police department spokesperson. "If anything, the officer was abused."

-- Justin Timberlake will bring his FutureSex/LoveSounds tour to San Jose's HP Pavilion on Jan. 11. Ticket sales information will be announced.

-- Phil Lesh and Friends will make a rare in-store appearance at 2 p.m. Oct. 31 at Amoeba Records in San Francisco to promote his new live DVD and CD release, "Live At the Warfield," set to come out that day.

-- Rajiv Chandrasekaran, a 2006 National Book Award finalist and assistant managing editor at the Washington Post, today will be reading and discussing his book, "Imperial Life in the Emerald City," 6 p.m. at the Marines' Memorial Club, Commandants Room, 10th Floor, 609 Sutter St., San Francisco.